The present invention relates to a conveyor device including, for example, a bucket wheel arranged on a jib for reducing, for example compressed stockpiles or for piling up bulk goods. The conveyor device is constructed so as to pick up or pile up piled-up bulk goods. The conveyor device includes a measuring device for measuring the surface profile of the stockpile.
Storage and transport systems optimized with respect to stock and processing time are an important component of modern flexible bulk goods handling plants. Obsolescence-proof solutions take into consideration to a particular extent the inclusion in the automation hierarchy and the inexpensive and simple handling in later operation. An object of the present invention is to specify a bulk goods handling device such as, for example, a bucket wheel device or a gantry drag or similar which allows for more inexpensive and simple handling.
In accordance with the present invention, a conveyor device, for example, a bucket wheel device is provided for reducing especially compressed stock piles or for piling up bulk goods is associated with a control device. The bucket wheel device picking up piled-up bulk goods or, respectively, piling up bulk goods. The bucket wheel device includes a measuring device for measuring the surface profile of the stockpile. The control device automatically moves the bucket wheel device up to the pile-reducing or, respectively, piling-up position based on on the measured stockpile surface. In this arrangement, the bulk goods are automatically removed from the pile or, respectively, piled up by means of the bucket wheel device. This makes it possible to reduce the number of operating personnel needed to operate bucket wheel devices. Since bucket wheel devices generally run in 3-shift operation, this leads to a distinct cost advantage.
Moving the bucket wheel device up to a desired pile-reducing or piling-up position is a particularly maneuver since a collision of the bucket wheel with the stockpile can easily lead to damage or even destruction of the bucket wheel device. This particularly applies to stockpiles which are compressed during the depositing or thereafter so that the material does not ignite itself. Generally, the compression is performed by wheel loaders. In this process, the stockpile profile is greatly changed. Other reasons for a change in the stockpile profile can be stockpile downfalls or weather influences, e.g., severe rain and resulting slipping-down of a stockpile side. The problem of precise positioning of the bucket wheel in the case of stockpiles having an irregular profile caused by such influences is solved particularly advantageously by a control which calculates the surface profile of the stockpile from the measurement values supplied by the measuring device.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the measuring device is arranged at the jib, especially in the front area of the jib. Because it is arranged in the front area of the jib, the measuring device supplies particularly complete measurement values in the area scanned by it.
In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the measuring device includes a laser, for example, a semiconductor laser by means of which the stockpile surface is scanned. Scanning of the stockpile surface is advantageously performed by means of a rotating mirror which is arranged within the range of the beam of the laser in such a manner that the laser beam scans the stockpile surface.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the bucket wheel device is associated with a video camera which is constructed so as to pick up the pile-reducing or, respectively, piling up of the bulk goods. This video camera is advantageously arranged behind the bucket wheel.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the bucket wheel device is also associated with a control system or a control centre with a display device by means of which the stockpile profile and/or the pile-reducing or piling-up process can be advantageously displayed.